This guide is designed to supplement National AfterSchool Association (NAA) Core Knowledge and Competencies for Afterschool and Youth Development. It includes eight field-tested, research- and evidence-based practices and who, why, and how to implement these practices.

These evidence-based standards foster nutrition and physical activity outcomes for children in grades K-12 attending out-of-school time programs. Originally developed in 2011 and then adopted and disseminated by the National Afterschool Association, the standards were refreshed in 2018.

This issue brief is an interview with researcher Jessica Manta-Myer about an evaluation of the Summer Science Project in 10 elementary school sites in CA. The programs were provided with hands-on curriculum, training, and coaching in STEM. Evaluation showed increased knowledge, skills, and confidence for students, and staff confidence in leading STEM, as well as staff retention.

This issue brief identifies four things to keep in mind to support the five percent of children in our care who are--or will grow up to become--gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning. It also provides a link to an online module about this topic and to other positive youth development modules by Better Kids Care. This resource supports resiliency.

This toolkit is designed to support professionals at all levels to integrate digital learning into afterschool and summer programs. It includes 9 interactive or text-based modules that explain the importance of digital learning in OST as an issue of equity and access, plus a 16-page brief.

This video is a keynote speech delivered by Dr. Shawn Ginwright. He explores stories and research related to his healing-centered framework to overcome trauma by building hope through relational, restorative, and political strategies.

This brief identifies evidence-based prevention tools that are low-cost targeted strategies for SEL. These "kernels" of practice are easy to implement and helpful for afterschool and summer programs that would be challenged to bring a full SEL curriculum to scale due to time or financial constraints.

This issue brief provides a concise overview of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) approaches that are specific to afterschool, as well as those designed for use across settings. It provides principles and considerations for adapting school-based SEL programs for OST.

Amid increasing interest in the topic of social and emotional learning (SEL), this special issue of the journal "The Future of Children" explores SEL in schools and after-school settings. There are nine articles that can be read separately.